NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Top Fuel Round 1: Favorites Advance, Upsets Loom as Epping Delivers Early Drama

The opening round of Top Fuel eliminations at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto featured a mix of dominant performances, tire-smoking struggles, and a few bracket-shaking surprises as the championship contenders began their march toward Sunday glory.

Points leader and No. 1 qualifier Shawn Langdon advanced without making a full pass after receiving a bye run. Langdon encountered tire smoke early and clicked the car off to a 6.607-second run, preserving parts and lane choice for the quarterfinals.

The biggest upset of the round came when No. 9 qualifier Clay Millican knocked off No. 8 qualifier Justin Ashley. Millican powered to a strong 4.441-second run at 265.06 mph while Ashley lost traction almost immediately, pedaled the car, and crossed the centerline. Millican’s victory sets up a marquee second-round showdown with Langdon.

Doug Kalitta continued the impressive pace shown by the Kalitta Motorsports camp, dispatching Will Smith with a clean 3.747-second pass at 333.16 mph. Smith smoked the tires early, allowing Kalitta to cruise into the quarterfinals.

No. 10 qualifier Maddi Gordon scored her first-round victory over veteran Tony Stewart, delivering her quickest run of the weekend with a 3.753 at 337.50 mph. Stewart encountered tire smoke near mid-track and was forced to pedal, while Gordon stayed planted to earn a semifinal-round matchup with Leah Pruett.

Speaking of Leah Pruett, the No. 2 qualifier turned in one of the strongest performances of the session, defeating Scott Farley with a 3.776-second run at 331.45 mph. Farley dropped cylinders shortly after launch, while Pruett capitalized on a starting-line advantage and never looked back.

No. 3 qualifier Josh Hart continued his recent round-win success by defeating Rit Pustari. Hart’s 3.872-second pass at 330.47 mph was enough after Pustari lost traction immediately and clicked the engine off.

One of the closest races of the round belonged to Antron Brown, who used a .049 reaction time to narrowly defeat Shawn Reed. Brown’s 3.828-second pass edged Reed’s quicker 3.817-second run by just .0481 seconds at the stripe, proving once again why the four-time world champion remains one of the toughest competitors in the sport.

Closing out the round, Billy Torrence advanced past Tony Schumacher after Schumacher encountered tire smoke. Torrence remained steady with a 3.940 at 276.35 mph and earned a quarterfinal meeting with Hart.

Quarterfinal Matchups

• Shawn Langdon vs. Clay Millican
• Doug Kalitta vs. Antron Brown
• Leah Pruett vs. Maddi Gordon
• Josh Hart vs. Billy Torrence

With Langdon, Kalitta, Pruett, Brown, and Hart all still alive, the championship heavyweights remain in contention, but Gordon and Millican have already proven that Sunday at New England Dragway may be anything but predictable.

Funny Car Round 1: DeJoria, Beckman, Todd, and Vandergriff Lead JFR Charge into Quarterfinals

The opening round of Funny Car eliminations at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto delivered everything fans have come to expect from the ultra-competitive category: holeshots, tire smoke, upset victories, and a strong statement from the powerhouse teams chasing the Mission Foods championship.

The biggest story of the round may have been the continued strength of John Force Racing, which advanced all three of its entries into the quarterfinals. No. 1 qualifier Jordan Vandergriff led the charge with a solid 3.947-second run at 326.24 mph to defeat Jeff Arend. Arend made a competitive pass at 4.104 seconds, but Vandergriff's quicker machine gave him a comfortable margin of victory.

Joining Vandergriff in the second round were teammates Jack Beckman and Alexis DeJoria. Beckman continued his recent hot streak, powering past Phil Burkart with a 3.970 at 323.58 mph after Burkart lost traction almost immediately and coasted to a 12.368-second effort.

DeJoria also turned in a strong run, stopping veteran Cruz Pedregon with a 3.998-second pass at 326.40 mph. Pedregon left first but could not match DeJoria's performance as the Bandero Café Funny Car advanced to the final eight.

Former world champion J.R. Todd delivered one of the quickest runs of the opening session, driving to a 3.919-second blast at 331.45 mph to eliminate Spencer Hyde, whose machine lost traction and slowed to a 7.216.

The upset of the round belonged to Blake Alexander, who knocked off defending world champion Austin Prock. Alexander's 4.188-second run was enough after Prock's Cornwell Tools Chevrolet lost traction and slowed to a 4.466. The victory sends Alexander into a quarterfinal showdown with Todd.

Veteran Ron Capps also advanced after Daniel Wilkerson encountered severe tire smoke. Capps posted a strong 3.948-second run at 324.05 mph and will face Beckman in one of the most anticipated second-round matchups.

Chad Green moved into the quarterfinals with a 3.951-second pass at 319.07 mph after Dave Richards was unable to make the call, setting up a battle with DeJoria.

The wildest race of the round came in the opening pairing when Matt Hagan defeated Del Worsham despite posting a 9.501-second elapsed time. Worsham left too soon and was disqualified for a red-light start, allowing Hagan to advance despite losing traction and shutting the car off early.

Quarterfinal Matchups

• Chad Green vs. Jordan Vandergriff
• J.R. Todd vs. Blake Alexander
• Jack Beckman vs. Matt Hagan
• Alexis DeJoria vs. Ron Capps

With all three John Force Racing entries still in contention, Todd and Capps showing championship-caliber pace, and Alexander already delivering the upset of the day, the Funny Car title chase in Epping is heating up as eliminations move into the critical quarterfinal round.

Pro Stock Round 1: KB Titan Flexes Its Muscle as Anderson and Glenn Advance in Epping

If there was any question whether KB Titan Racing would continue its dominance on race day at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto, the opening round of eliminations provided a clear answer.

The powerhouse operation placed both championship contenders, Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn, into the quarterfinals, while a host of challengers fought through razor-thin margins in one of the closest Pro Stock rounds of the season.

No. 1 qualifier Dallas Glenn survived one of the tightest races of the round, edging Shane Tucker by just .0133-second. Glenn's 6.567-second pass at 209.75 mph narrowly covered Tucker's 6.579-second effort in a side-by-side battle that showcased the category's remarkable parity.

Championship leader Greg Anderson advanced via a bye run but wasted no opportunity to show his hand, posting a strong 6.546-second run at 209.36 mph. Anderson's elapsed time was the quickest pass of the opening round and sends a message to the rest of the field that the six-time world champion remains the man to beat on Sunday.

The closest race of the round belonged to Jeg Coughlin Jr., who defeated Aaron Stanfield by a scant .0055-second. Stanfield left first with an excellent .011 reaction time, but Coughlin's 6.565-second pass combined with a .028 light was enough to steal the win at the finish line in a classic Pro Stock drag race.

Matt Hartford also survived a thriller, defeating Deric Kramer by just .0137-second. Hartford's 6.548 at 210.28 mph narrowly topped Kramer's nearly identical 6.556-second run in another matchup decided by thousandths.

Elite Motorsports veteran Erica Enders continued her march through the field with a clean victory over Troy Coughlin Jr. Enders posted a 6.556-second run at 209.36 mph to earn a quarterfinal meeting with Anderson in what could become one of the pivotal races of the event.

Elsewhere, Greg Stanfield took advantage of trouble for Cody Anderson, driving to a 6.562-second pass while Anderson slowed dramatically after mid-track issues. Stanfield's reward is a quarterfinal matchup against Hartford.

The Latinos also enjoyed a productive first round. Eric Latino defeated Kenny Delco with a 6.572-second pass, while Matt Latino advanced past Brandon Miller after Miller surrendered any chance at the starting line with a .224 reaction time. Matt Latino's 6.564-second effort was among the strongest runs of the session.

Quarterfinal Matchups

• Greg Anderson vs. Jeg Coughlin Jr
• Dallas Glenn vs. Erica Enders
• Matt Latino vs. Greg Stanfield
• Matt Hartford vs. Eric Latino

As eliminations move into the second round, the sport's biggest names remain firmly in contention. Anderson and Glenn continue to carry the KB Titan banner, while Enders, Hartford, and Coughlin stand ready to challenge their supremacy in what is shaping up to be a classic New England showdown.

Top Fuel Round 2: Kalitta and Langdon Set Up Heavyweight Semifinal Clash

The Top Fuel field continued to tighten Sunday at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto as four of the sport's toughest competitors survived a challenging second round to advance into the semifinals at New England Dragway.

Championship leader and No. 1 qualifier Shawn Langdon continued his march through eliminations with a convincing victory over Clay Millican. Langdon used a strong .040 reaction time and never trailed, powering to a 3.775-second run at 332.92 mph. Millican, fresh off his first-round upset of Justin Ashley, drifted out of the groove and was forced to click the car off early, slowing to a 4.033-second pass. The victory sends Langdon to his third semifinal appearance of the season and keeps the points leader firmly in control of his championship destiny.

The closest race of the round belonged to veteran Billy Torrence, who scored a holeshot victory over Josh Hart in a race decided by just .0155-second at the finish line. Torrence's stellar .036 reaction time proved decisive as his 3.861-second run at 331.04 mph narrowly covered Hart's quicker 3.856-second effort. The margin equated to roughly eight feet at the stripe and continued Torrence's perfect record against Hart in prior eliminations meetings.

On the opposite side of the ladder, Leah Pruett survived a wild matchup against rookie sensation Maddi Gordon. Gordon grabbed the starting-line advantage but immediately encountered tire smoke. Pruett then experienced problems of her own and was forced to pedal the car, but managed to regain traction and race to a 4.696-second pass at 200.08 mph. Gordon was unable to recover after getting back on the throttle, allowing Pruett to advance into her first semifinal appearance of the season.

The marquee matchup of the round featured two former world champions, and it was Doug Kalitta who emerged victorious over Antron Brown. Kalitta gained a slight starting-line advantage and never relinquished control, posting a stout 3.762-second run at 330.23 mph to defeat Brown's 3.808 at 329.58 mph. The victory improves Kalitta's already impressive record against Brown and sets up a blockbuster semifinal showdown with Langdon.

Semifinal Matchups

• Shawn Langdon vs. Doug Kalitta
• Leah Pruett vs. Billy Torrence

With Langdon and Kalitta representing the dominant Kalitta Motorsports operation and Pruett and Torrence looking to play spoiler, the stage is set for a pair of compelling semifinal battles. The Langdon-Kalitta matchup, in particular, carries major championship implications as two of the category's strongest performers square off for a spot in the final round.

Funny Car Round 2: Vandergriff Leads John Force Racing Charge into Semifinals

The Funny Car quarterfinals at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto delivered four outstanding side-by-side races Sunday afternoon at New England Dragway, setting the stage for a semifinal field packed with championship pedigree and rising stars.

No. 1 qualifier Jordan Vandergriff continued his impressive weekend, defeating Chad Green in a matchup between two of the category's quickest cars. Both drivers left with identical .057 reaction times, but Vandergriff's 3.942-second pass at 324.51 mph proved just enough to hold off Green's 3.975 at 322.42 mph. The victory extends Vandergriff's remarkable weekend and keeps the John Force Racing driver on track for his first NHRA national event victory.

Veteran teammate Jack Beckman joined Vandergriff in the semifinals after turning in one of the strongest performances of the round. Beckman powered to a 3.943-second run at 324.75 mph to defeat Matt Hagan's 4.020-second effort. Although Hagan left first, Beckman's superior elapsed time quickly erased the deficit as the two-time New England winner advanced to another semifinal appearance.

The closest race of the round came in a showdown between former world champions Ron Capps and Alexis DeJoria. Capps used a slight starting-line advantage and every inch of racetrack to edge DeJoria by a razor-thin .0018-second margin. At the finish line, Capps' 3.938-second run at 327.11 mph narrowly covered DeJoria's 3.953 at 328.54 mph in one of the most thrilling side-by-side Funny Car races of the season.

On the opposite side of the ladder, J.R. Todd continued his strong race-day performance by defeating upset-minded Blake Alexander. Todd's DHL Toyota posted a solid 3.975-second pass at 331.53 mph to dispatch Alexander's 4.109-second effort and secure a place in the final four.

Semifinal Matchups

• Jordan Vandergriff vs. Ron Capps
• Jack Beckman vs. J.R. Todd

The semifinal lineup represents a compelling blend of youth and experience. Vandergriff seeks to continue a breakthrough weekend from the No. 1 position, while Beckman gives John Force Racing two cars in the final four. Standing in their way are two former world champions in Capps and Todd, both of whom have a history of thriving under pressure on race day.

With four proven contenders separated by mere hundredths of a second throughout eliminations, the battle for the Wally in Epping is far from settled.